I am going to Costa Rica at the end of March to look at retirement communities. I want to visit one on the Pacific side and one on the Carib side. Please give me a few sugestions. I am 51 and I will be traveling and retiring by my self.I have a reasonable fixed income and I may be willing to work a little to stay busy, meet people and add a little income. Mi Hablo espanol un poco. I will be working on it every day.I will be willing to share a home. I spent a week in Manuel San Antonio 12 years ago. I am also be interested in other countries like Panama and Argentina.  Thank you

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I'm on the way!

-You need to do a little more research about retiring in Costa Rica. To the best of my knowledge there are no retirement communities as such here. Housing on the Pacific side is pretty pricy and organized communities on the Caribbean are rare. If you file for legal residency either pensinado or rentista you can not work for wages. You can start your own  business. From your remarks I feel you are not at all familiar with Costa Rica. You can get more info on relocation at websites such as www.CostaRicaShippingCompany.com  

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Trying to retire

Hi. There are no organized retirement communities on either the Pacific or Atlantic coasts or in the central valley that I or any of my ex-pat friends (of 20 + years) knows of. Besides, "retirement community" makes you sound like your ready to hang it up. If you're planning on living down here look at it like its a new fresh start to another exciting phase of your life. A single man in CR at 50 is like being 30 in the real world. You'll have a 20 something girlfriend in no time and that will jump start your new life. You can retire somewhere else. Down here we're alive, well and having a lot of fun with our young novias. If you are an entrepreneurial type man with a desire to learn you will have no trouble communicating with the language or understanding the Tico culture. Once you've acquired the language skills and a good understanding of the type of people you will be dealing with, then you will be ready to acquire your piece of paradise here in CR. Until that time you may want to rent and be able to move to the different areas that you have expressed interest in so you can decide which one is best for you. Good luck!

PS: I have had residency in CR since 1994 and have built condos and homes and remodeled existing housing. In the course of conducting my construction business I have had to sub-contract the work to the local tradesmen to complete the construction as well as contract with Costa Rican architects, engineers and topographers to secure the permits for the construction. From my many years of experience here I have accumulated many references as well as the hands-on experience of dealing with the Costa Rican government officials who issue permits to build and develop land. I have written all this experience in the form of a report to help others successfully acquire land and build their dream homes in CR. If after your review of this information you would like to contact me to help you find or build your dream home here in paradise, I am usually available here in Belen. tom@costaricahomebuilder.com I have a complimentary report that will help you understand all the details involved with acquiring land and building a residence in CR.
In addition to answering questions regarding general information that most investors want to know, the Land Acquisition and Home Building Report provides the planning and detailed analysis needed in order to determine all costs involved when purchasing real estate in Costa Rica.
The following subjects are discussed in detail:
CONSTRUCTION PERMITTING PROCESS
LAND TITLE AND REGISTRATION
PROPERTY INVESTIGATION
SURVEY
APPRAISAL
FINIANCING
TAX STAMPS
CLOSING COSTS
TRANSFER TAXES
REAL ESTATE COMMISSION
ATTORNEY AND NOTARY FEES
ESTABLISHING A CORPORATION
PROPERTY TAXES - LAND AND MUNICIPAL
OFFSHORE CORPORATIONS - BANKING PRIVACY
If you would like a copy of the report simply e-mail me and request that I send you the text version. Good luck! Tom@costaricahomebuilder.com

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Experienced Builder with CR residency since 94

We have had a good friend who's been coming down here and investing for quite some time from Placerville, CA. His name is Pat and he is a gourmet cook and ex-public defender in your area for many years. I don't know if you know him but he knows his way around CR, Panama and a few other regions he's been checking out since retiring. Look him up, his name is Pat Forrester and he may be willing to give you the real scoop. Good luck!

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Experienced Builder with CR residency since 94

Getting in the car to buy some glass. I will call your friend. Your info was very helpful. I am not looking to build. I will do as you said, rent and look around. I was not looking for an old folks home. I just assumed that there are spots that have higher concentrations of americans that I would like to see first.

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I'm on the way!

Some days it appears that one half of the world is either planning to move or have made the move to Costa Rica. We have been involved with obtaining the right for people to move here and work, if desired, legally over the past 17 years.  If there is 1 piece of advice we could give to people who are considering the move it would be to make the move slowly. It is a simple single step and does not have to be a quantrim leap. The best "deal" that you come accross when you first arrive is just that.  The best deal to date.  Whether if be a house, a car or a status allowing a person to live here the operative word is take your time. We don't recommend people becoming P.T.'s (perpetual tourists) but you do have 90 days upon arrival to act the part of a tourist.  If you have not made up your mind whether or not you like what you see then you can always leave the coutry for 72 hours and return again as a tourist.  The bottom line is "all pressure is self imposed" Slow and easy works and works well.

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LIVE & WORK LEGALLY IN COSTA RICA